Composition

The Third Series of Tales of My Landlord,
consisted of two tales, The Bride
of Lammermoor, which
occupied the first two-and-a-half volumes, and the shorter A
Legend of Montrose, which occupied the remainder of the
third and the whole of the fourth volume. Having recovered from
a near-fatal attack of gallstones, Scott had completed The
Bride of Lammermoor by mid-April
1819. Turning promptly to its companion piece, he had A Legend
of Montrose fully typeset by 3 June. The
rapidity of composition is all the more astonishing given that
Scott was
still in fragile health and dictated most of the manuscript to
John Ballantyne and
to his factor William Laidlaw. It seems likely, however, that the
plot had been mentally elaborated in advance. A
letter
from
Archibald
Constable to Robert Cadell dated
15 June 1818 indicates that Scott
was already thinking of a tale of the Montrose Wars (1639-45) while
finishing work on The Heart of Mid-Lothian.

The novel is set in Perthshire and Argyll. The central
plot is loosely based on the murder of Lord Kilmont by James Stewart
of
Ardvoirlich
after
the battle
of Tippermuir, for which Scott's principal source was John Buchanan
of Cambusmore. Further sources are the memoirs of the 17th-century
mercenaries Col.
Robert Monro (who served during the Thirty Years' War under
both Christian IV of Denmark and Gustavus Adolphus
of Sweden) and Sir James Turner (who fought for both the Covenanters
and the Royalists). Scott chanelled key traits and episodes
from both into one of his finest
comic characters, Captain Dalgetty, the soldier of fortune.

In Scott's manuscript the novel is entitled A
Legend of the Wars of Montrose. Neither Constable nor James
Ballantyne approved the title, and Scott agreed to alter
it to A Legend of Montrose despite his objection that Montrose
did not himself figure prominently. The recent Edinburgh Edition
of the novel (Edinburgh University Press, 1995), edited by J.H.
Alexander, restores Scott's preferred title.

Synopsis

The story takes place against the backdrop of the Royalist
Earl of Montrose's Highland campaign against the Covenanters
in 1644.
Allan M'Aulay, a member of Montrose's army, has sworn vengeance
on the savage clan of Ranald MacEagh, known as the Children
of the
Mist, who have murdered his uncle and mistreated his mother. He
is in love with Annot Lyle whom he has rescued during a foray
against
the clan MacEagh. Annot, however, prefers Allan's intimate friend,
the Earl of Menteith, a fellow Royalist. The mystery of Annot's
birth holds both back from pressing their claims. Annot has been
kidnapped as a young child by MacEagh during the sacking of
her
father's castle, and recalls nothing of her family background.
Alarmed at wild threats issued by the jealous Allan against
Menteith, Montrose
sends him away on a mission. When Allan finds and mortally wounds
MacEagh, the old cateran confesses that Annot is the daughter
of
Sir Duncan Campbell, the Knight of Ardenvohr, with whom she is
reunited. As she is thus revealed to be a suitable match,
Annot is engaged
to Menteith, and plans are made for their wedding. On the appointed
day, Allan returns to the camp and stabs his successful rival
in
fulfilment of prophecy that has long tormented him. He evades capture
and, having disappeared, is variously rumoured to have been
killed
by the Children of the Mist or to have entered a monastery. Menteith
recovers from his wound and lives happily with Annot.

Reception

Published on June 21, 1819, A Legend of Montrose received
markedly less critical notice than The Bride of Lammermoor,
and has since remained in the shadow of its companion piece.
The
Edinburgh Monthly Review and the Scotsman alone considered
the novel at length. The former deplored the irreverent use of
Scripture,
Scott's resort to the supernatural, and the apparent absence of
any higher moral purpose. The latter was altogether more positive,
even claiming that Scott was in some regards superior to Shakespeare.
It detected, however, an anti-Presbyterian prejudice in the depiction
of the Covenanting army and its general, the Marquis of Argyle,
and accused Scott of whitewashing Montrose's reputation.